


Constellations

by lokislawyer



Series: the stars up in the sky [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, The AU no one asked for, Yearning, cobb is a disaster gay, din is also a disaster gay but more lowkey, i still suck at tagging, peli is the best sister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28147389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokislawyer/pseuds/lokislawyer
Summary: Cobb lied about having a boyfriend to his family.Din doesn’t want to spend another Christmas with Cara.Peli thinks her brother and her friend could use a friendly push.she decides to knock two birds with one stone.orFake Dating au where Peli name drops Din as Cobb’s mystery, and non-existent, boyfriend and now Cobb and Din have to pretend they’re together in order to save Cobb from his mother’s pestering.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth
Series: the stars up in the sky [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084358
Comments: 41
Kudos: 272





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [michaelfalls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaelfalls/gifts).



> Hello and welcome to my attempt at writing a christmas-y au  
> a few notes before you start reading:  
> -Peli is Cobb’s sister in this au and Grogu is her son.  
> \- the ages in this are as follows: Cobb is 32, Din is 27, Peli is 28, and Grogu is 2 
> 
> that’s all i could think of for now but if you have any questions feel free to drop them in the comments.  
> special thanks to mike for being the genius that he is i couldn’t have done it without him❤️  
> enjoy!

Cobb Vanth was not a pessimistic man by nature. He was a social worker, and by virtue of profession he had to be somewhat optimistic about the future in order to help people with their lives.

His job description dictated a certain criteria he had to live his life by, and it worked for him most of the time.

That is until he started lying to his parents about his love life.

In his defense, his parents were old fashioned and wanted him to settle down and have kids as soon as possible, as all parents do.

Not his fault he was a raging homosexual with no luck in romance.

The first time it happened was Thanksgiving of the previous year. He had grown so sick of his family’s pestering that he comes home with someone, _anyone,_ and told them that he’s spending Thanksgiving with his boyfriend’s family. That settled that and he thought he did quite a good job with handling the situation.

His sister, Peli, on the other hand, did not.

“You’re an idiot.” She stated. Cobb hummed to himself, that was common knowledge. “You know mom, she’s _not_ gonna let it go.”

“I know.” He sighed.

“And? Where are you gonna find this mystery man?” She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a once over, “Gods know you’re not enticing enough to find one before they start breathing down your neck about it again.”

“Hey!” He exclaimed, “I’ll have you know I’m plenty enticing!”

Unconvinced, or just plain unbothered, she scoffed and turned away from him to rummage through her purse for something, “I’m telling you, man. When shit hits the fan I’ll be the first in line to point and laugh.”

“You’ll be the one to turn on the fan in the first place, you rat.”

“You know me too well.” She smirked.

That he did, because a little over a year later she _did_ turn on the metaphorical fan.

He had narrowly escaped Thanksgiving of the current year but that was as far as his luck could hold.

A dreaded phone call from his mother, and a demonic intervention from Peli, left him panicking two weeks shy of Christmas trying to figure out how he was going to get out of this mess.

Peli had name dropped someone during the phone call.

Not just anyone, but their mutual friend and Cobb’s crush of two years now.

One Din Djarin.

He wanted to hit Peli and thank her at the same time.

He didn’t think Din would refuse playing the boyfriend part but that raised another issue: how the hell was he going to cope with Din acting like they’re together for over a week.

“Man up and tell him you like him.” Was Peli’s preposterous suggestion.

Honestly he didn’t know why he even bothered asking for her advice.

He whipped out his phone to send a quick text to his friends asking for help:

**Me:** yall

**Me:** who wants to help me murder peli and move to mexico

**Sharpshooter:** blasphemy!

**Sharpshooter:** what did she do this time you whiner

**Me:** she betrayed me!

**Boba Tea:** you probably deserved it

**Me:** fuck yall honestly

**Me:** she name dropped din as my mystery bf to my mom

**Sharpshooter:**!!!!!!!!

**Boba Tea:** ATTA GIRL PELI

**Boba Tea:** ABOUT DAMN TIME YALL HAD SOME PROGRESS

**Me:** NAH FUCK YALL HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PULL THIS OFF

**Sharpshooter:** obviously you meet up with him and explain the situation and ask him for help

**Sharpshooter:** din is a sweetheart he won’t refuse

**Me:** see I know that he wont BUT how am I supposed to behave with him so close to me all the time

**Me:** what if I do sumn weird and freak him out

**Boba Tea:** aint nothing weirder than you being you

**Me:** boba fett I swear to fucking god

**Boba Tea:** just telling it how it is

**Sharpshooter:** ANYWAY

**Sharpshooter:** just tell him and see how it goes

**Me:** alright fennec I’m trusting you on this one

**Sharpshooter:** damn right you are

He took a deep breath and dialed Din’s number. Best to get it over with.

“Hey cowboy” Greeted Din, and he felt his chest seize both in elation and in apprehension.

“How many times do I have to tell you that me being from the south doesn’t mean I’m a cowboy.”

“Your family does own a ranch.”

“You got me there.” He conceded, and heard Din chuckle in response.

They talked for a few more minutes about Din’s favorite subject, Grogu, and Din’s latest cases before Cobb tells him he wants to meet up. They agree on the afternoon of the next day. No use wasting time if it’s something important, according to Din. And Cobb agreed wholeheartedly. He didn’t know what he would do to himself if this thing dragged on.

Din works as a private investigator with a couple of his friends, taking up cases for a certain price. He had first started out studying mechanics, which was how he had met Peli, but after a semester he realized it wasn’t for him, so he dropped out and changed courses. He and Peli kept in touch all those years.

Talking to him always left Cobb in a better mood.

The next day found him sitting across from the man in question in a local Starbucks filling their time with small talk while they wait for their order.

“And then Cara just knocked the poor bastard out with one headbutt and put an end to the whole discussion.” Cobb burst out laughing at the mental image, he and Cara Dune didn’t see eye to eye very often but he couldn’t deny the woman was fearsome.

“Oh man remind me not to cross her any time soon.”

Whatever Din was going to say next was interrupted by the barista calling out their names.

After retrieving the order and settling down, they a talked bit more before Din leaned back in his seat and gave Cobb a look.

His time was up, apparently.

He sighed and placed his coffee on the table, “so you’re probably wondering about the reason of this meeting.”

He proceeded to explain everything to him in as much detail as he could give, from inventing a boyfriend to Peli’s meddling, carefully avoiding any mention of his true feelings.

He watched the myriad of emotions ripple across Din’s face and wondered what he could be thinking about at this moment. Would his opinion of Cobb change after what he just told him? Would he think less of him for what he’s asking him to do?

Even if he agreed to do it, that still left Cobb’s own feelings to consider. The thought of being closer to Din, no matter what scenario it would be, set his whole body on fire. He knew what he felt was stronger than a simple crush but he did not dare put a name to it. Din would never return the feelings anyway, and it would be delusional of him to even consider it an option. There was no way Din would fall for someone like Cobb and that was the truth he had trouble accepting but had to make peace with nonetheless.

He thought about what his parents’ reaction would be. He didn’t think they’d actually believed the boyfriend ploy but they hadn’t called him out on it so he hadn’t said anything. They hadn’t reacted strongly when he came out to them at nineteen years of age but they hadn’t stopped suggesting girls he could date, either. It was a matter of seeing to believe and since he never brought a boy home, they had no reason to believe him no matter what he said.

“Wait wait.” Said Din after a long pause in which Cobb was considering the consequences of just running away and changing his name and contact and working as a prostitute in Las Vegas. “Why were they asking about a mystery boyfriend in the first place?”

“Ah.” Smiled Cobb, “I might have invented a boyfriend to get out of social functions.”

Din’s blank stare drilled holes in Cobb’s smiling face.

“You’re dumb.” He stated simply.

“I know.” Replied Cobb with a shit eating grin.

In the end, they abandoned their cold coffees and decided to head to Din’s place for a brainstorming session. Being a private investigator, Din needed to make sure they had a foolproof story. Starting from how they met, to who confessed his feelings first, to why they haven’t moved in together yet, etc.

One thing was for sure, this man was _thorough._

He brought up things Cobb wouldn’t even have thought about.

Who in their right mind would think to ask about what they gifted each other for their anniversary?

“Peli would.” Came Din’s answer from where was sitting, neatly writing notes on his phone, “and you know she takes after your mom so…”

Cobb sighed miserably and took a seat next to Din on the couch. He was right. Peli was their mother’s carbon copy.

He shuddered to think of what other details his mother would want to know.

“This might be the first time I’m spending Christmas with an actual family.” Said Din, almost too quietly for Cobb to hear. His heart twinged in sympathy and he berated himself for worrying about his own self and forgetting that Din was an orphan who spent his life between foster homes.

He vowed to himself that no matter what happened, he would make sure that Din had the best Christmas anyone could have.

Looking for a way to comfort him without sounding condescending, Cobb looked around the living room of his apartment and noticed a running theme about the place.

“So, you like space, huh?”

The mention of space seemed to have awakened something in the young man. His warm brown eyes, though still slightly dull with sadness, had regained some of their previous spark as he told Cobb about the ceiling of his apartment and how he had painted it himself, about the constellations he put there, and how the planet Saturn was his favorite. He told him that whenever he felt lost he would look to the sky and be comforted, because people came and went but the universe was infinite and eternal.

They were the same old constellations that Cobb grew up seeing, but he had a feeling he would never look at them the same way again.

Din Djarin rarely spoke this freely and unguardedly. In this quiet moment he was like the pied piper charming the listener with his melodies.

It was a captivating and rare sight to see the object of his affections so in his element, and it was a moment that he would cherish and commit to memory.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back dincobb nation i have an extra soft chapter for you to enjoy as a fuck you to lucasfilm for what they did to us with that finale :))))
> 
> enjoy and let me know what you think!

With everything said and done, it was time for them to make their way to Arizona and face the formidable foe that is Cobb’s family.

The estimated time of travel was a little over twenty seven hours, including gas and food breaks. Cobb, Din, and Peli would be taking turns driving, with little Grogu circling between the free ones.

Peli volunteered to drive first, tapping Din on the shoulder and thrusting an excited Grogu into his arms, “tag, you’re it.”

With Peli on the wheel and Din and Grogu in the passenger seat, Cobb took this opportunity to catch some sleep in the back.

He closed his eyes with a soft hum, the sound of Din and Peli talking about something or the other in the front lulling him sleep.

“Wake up, cowboy.” Din’s whispered words roused him, and he blinked slowly to get rid of the last vestiges of sleep. He rose with a groan, his neck making a dangerously loud cricking sound. He was _definitely_ not getting any younger by the sound of it.

Getting out of the car, he saw that they had stopped at a gas station. Peli was talking to a young man who was filling up the car’s tank, with Grogu sitting on her shoulders, tiny legs dangling from each side.

Cobb stretched out his arms and looked around, spotting Din sitting crosslegged on the hood of the car eyes closed and enjoying the soft breeze. It was such a peaceful sight that Cobb almost felt bad disrupting it.

Keyword almost.

The rumbling of his stomach took precedence over his sympathy and he made his way to stand in front of the younger man.

He stood there quietly, waiting for Din to stop ignoring him. And soon enough, with a heavy sigh, Din cracked one eye open, “what do you want?”

“I’m hungry.” He gave Din his best puppy eyed look, and was met by a single unimpressed raised eyebrow. He held out long enough to see Din’s serious façade crack, and a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t get it in your head that that look worked on me.” He said as he uncrossed his legs and slid down, “I’m only going with you because I’m hungry too.”

“Uh huh.”

“Shut up.” He pushed Cobb out of the way and walked ahead of him. Cobb followed him with a smirk.

For all that Din looked serious and unapproachable, he had a heart of gold and a soft, loving nature. It was one of the many reasons why Cobb felt so much for him, the fact that he was such an intrinsically _good_ person that no matter what life would throw at him, he would always take it with a grace and kindness that Cobb had never seen from anyone else.

One day Din approached saying that he needed to talk to him, not as a friend but as a social worker, because he had been having a rough time then and he needed help. That day was one of the hardest and most emotionally taxing days in Cobb’s life. He went home and stared at the ceiling for hours not being able to sleep, wondering how Din was still standing after everything he had been through.

It was a testament to how strong the young man was, that the next day he came by their place looking like nothing had happened the previous day, while Cobb was looking like he’d been run over by three trucks and an extra train for good measure.

“Grogu, wanna come with me?” Din called for the child on his mother’s shoulders, and Grogu immediately made grabby hands for him. Peli lowered him and passed him over to Din, who took him and lifted him up and put him on his shoulders. Grogu giggled in excitement and reached down, grabbing a hold of Din’s messy strands of hair to hold onto. Din didn’t seem to mind the abuse and held onto Grogu’s dangling legs instead.

They headed into the store, Cobb grabbing one of the shopping baskets near the door, and walked around to find something to serve as lunch, plus some snacks for the road.

Din was walking in front of him and talking casually to Grogu about different products and their nutritional values, what’s good, what’s not, and what could be okay but in small amounts. Cobb snorted when Din tried to explain to the baby that fruit loops are bad for him no matter how colorful and pretty they looked.

“Darlin’ he’s just a baby he doesn’t understand what you’re trying to tell him.” He said, belatedly noticing the slipped term of endearment, but Din didn’t seem to; too engrossed in his attempts to convince Cobb that Grogu is smarter than other babies his age.

Cobb rolled his eyes at the shorter man and pushed past them to get to the instant noodles part of the aisle. He had an unhealthy obsession with the things that Peli often tried, and failed, to get him to quit.

“At least it’s not something worse,” Boba would always say, “like those _candwiches_ he used to eat like the heathen he is.”

After getting what they needed, they headed to the cashier.

“Aww you guys have a cute baby, what’s his name?” Said the old lady working the register, and Cobb felt his face warm at the implication.

“Oh he’s not _ours,_ his mom is just outside.” He replied, a tad too quickly, “His name is Grogu.”

“What a lovely name for a lovely boy.” She smiled at Grogu, who was still on Din’s shoulders. She was nice, Cobb decided. Everyone thought Grogu was a weird name. “So you guys are like his uncles? That’s cute.”

Cobb was about to correct her again when Din interrupted him saying “yeah we are.” So nonchalantly that Cobb turned to look at him and found him intently studying the back of a bag of Cheetos like he had an exam in five minutes.

Huh. Okay.

They went back to the car shortly after, carrying the shopping bags, and found Peli already settled in the back seat. They gave her the bags and Grogu and went to take their seats.

Din’s turn to drive so Cobb sat in the passenger seat and called dibs on the aux. Peli passed around some of the food they bought and they sat there eating a late lunch to the tunes of Cobb’s music blaring from the speakers.

Getting back on the road, Peli told them to keep the windows open to get rid of the smell of food in the car. That decision did not seem to be working for Din, though, because when Cobb turned to ask him something, the sight that welcomed him had him instantly burst into surprised laughter.

Din was squinting at the road ahead as the air whipped his already tousled hair around and he couldn’t see well.

He grunted at Cobb’s laughter and kept glaring at the road, the action making him look even cuter and causing Cobb to feel bad for him, even though he looked adorable.

“Alright alright I’m sorry,” he said, “here, I’ll help you.” He reached a hand over and pushed Din’s hair away from his forehead, keeping it rested on his head to fix his hair in place. There was a sharp intake of breath from Din, but he kept his eyes on the road.

“Are you just gonna keep your hand on my head the whole way?”

“I mean… I don’t mind.”

There was a pause where none of them said anything, before it was broken by Peli muttering something under her breath that he couldn’t catch. Her hand poked out from under Cobb’s extended arm, twin hair clips held between her fingers. Cobb’s mouth twitched and he took a deep breath to avoid laughing again lest he upsets Din for real this rime.

“Hold on,” he told Din, “I’ll fix it for you.”

He parted his hair into two sections and fastened the clips on, pressing his lips tightly to contain the grin that was trying to escape.

“There you go, all sorted.” He announced and Din turned to look in the sideview mirror. He was quiet for a few moments and Cobb held his breath.

“I hate you both so much.” It was said with such venom but his lips were quirked up in a small smile.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and they managed to make it to a motel to spend the night in by a little over nine o’clock.

The motel, however, only had one spare room with a king sized bed. The three of them shared a look of mild irritation and resigned to take it and see what can be done to fix the situation.

They ended up all crammed on the sizable bed, Peli on one side with Grogu next to her then Din, and Cobb on the other side.

“Well this is… cosy.” Said Din, trapped between Grogu’s wiggly form and Cobb’s stiff one. Sharing a bed with Din was _not_ something he was mentally prepared for.

This was going to be a long night.

It took him a few hours to fall asleep as he was hyper aware of Din’s body pressed to his side, and Din’s irregular breathing meaning that he was still awake. Apparently he also found it hard to fall asleep. Cobb wondered again how uncomfortable he must be in this situation to be forced into physical intimacy with someone he had no feelings for. The thought was sobering and he cursed Peli and her big mouth for the millionth time.

Eventually, Din’s breathing fell into a pattern and Cobb sighed heavily before letting loose and allowing sleep to claim him.

He woke up to something soft tickling his nose and he scrunched his nose, nuzzling into the thing further and inhaling a faint lavender scent mixed with sandalwood that was vaguely familiar to him. Belatedly he registered he had his arms wrapped around something solid and warm. Cracking his eyes open blearily, he looked down and saw that Din’s face was pressed to his chest and Cobb had arms around his waist. Din’s other arm was Holding Grogu who also used the man as a body pillow.

Mortification flooded his body and he carefully removed his octopus limbs away from the sleeping form of the younger man, and sat up slowly. He was met by a grinning Peli, obviously delighted in this turn of events.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?!” He whispered furiously, making his way to his bag to retrieve his toothbrush.

“You guys looked so cute, though!” She replied, tone dripping with honey.

Cobb’s only response to her was a middle finger.

He retrieved his phone from the nightstand after leaving the bathroom and looked through his missed notifications; a few texts from a coworker, one from his mom, and a few from the group chat he has with Boba and Fennec.

He decided to ignore the first, call his mom after breakfast, and answer the last.

 **Me:** I see y’all are asking for updates

 **Me:** well it’s going as well as it could?

 **Boba Tea:** fuck does that mean

 **Boba Tea:** did y’all kiss or nah

 **Me:** first of all fuck you

 **Me:** second of all no we didn’t kiss what’s wrong with you

 **Boba Tea:** I’ve been awake since the ass crack of dawn on a Saturday

 **Boba Tea:** excuse me if I expected your dumb ass to have grown a pair and made some progress

 **Me:** it’s been one fucking day you piece of shit

 **Sharpshooter:** it’s 7 o’clock in the morning why are y’all fighting already

 **Me:** ask him

 **Me:** also I may or may not have woken up wrapped around din today

 **Sharpshooter:** YOU WHAT

 **Me:** oh they’re waking up I gotta go

 **Boba Tea:** COBB FUCKING VANTH IF YOU DON’T GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE RIGHT NOW

Ignoring the pinging of his phone in favor of getting some coffee, he joins the others as they make their way down for some breakfast.

Peli volunteered to go first again, but this time with Grogu secured safely in his baby seat in the front. That left Din and Cobb to share the backseats.

Grogu fell asleep not long after and Peli forbid them from playing any music out loud so as to not wake him up.

Cobb was watching the landscape pass by from the window when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to Din and saw him holding an earbud and offering it to Cobb, the other one already in his own ear. Cobb’s breath stuttered as he reached out to take it from him and place it in his ear.

Din scooted closer to him until their arms were touching.

The music started playing but if Cobb was asked which songs were played he wouldn’t have been able to give an answer. Feeling Din next to him so close, and remembering the manner in which he woke up this morning, took precedence over everything in that moment.

He really hoped that when they reach home by the end of the day, Din would be welcomed with open arms. He didn’t want him to have a negative first impression of the family he was being forced to spend Christmas with.

All that was left to do, though, was wait and see.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh man thank you for all the support! i’m so happy you like my silly little fic and i appreciate every kudos and comment you leave🥺 i’ll get to replying to comments soon but i just wanted you to know i appreciate all of you❤️

As far as first impressions went, Cobb couldn’t say this one was too bad.

Arriving late at night, they parked their car in the driveway and made their way to the house. The chill of the night air descending on them immediately after they left the warm confines of the car. Grogu shivered in Cobb’s arms and burrowed closer into the warmth of his uncle’s chest.

The hammering of his heart was deafening in his ears. His feet were rooted in place. For the first time in his life he felt real panic creep up and wrap its claws around his throat. His breath came in short bursts, his free hand forming a fist by his side. For a moment he was afraid the panic would take over but he felt a warm hand wrap around his cold one. Reality shattered the barrier over his ears and sound came rushing back in.

“Cobb?” He heard someone ask, “are you okay?” He knew that sound, he’d heard it thousands of times in reality and dreams alike.

 _Din_.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at the man. The darkness made it hard to see but there was no mistaking the worry etched on his features. Seeing the concern in his eyes helped calm Cobb down and he managed a nod. Relaxing his hand, he felt Din’s hand slip into his, interlocking their fingers and giving them a light, reassuring squeeze.

“You’re gonna be okay.” He whispered, “I’ve got you.”

And Cobb believed him.

He nodded again, less shakily this time.

The irony of the situation didn’t escape him, that Din was the one comforting when it was Cobb who got him into this mess in the first place.

“If you two are quite done,” called Peli from the car, “help me with the luggage and stop being useless sacks of meat.”

Cobb felt his mood lighten, Peli’s scolding bringing a sense of normalcy in this high stress situation.

He was about to head over to the car when he felt Din give his hand another squeeze, “it’s okay you go ahead inside and I’ll help her.”

His hand started slipping away but Cobb instinctively reached out and grabbed it again, Din turned back in surprise.

Cobb himself was caught off guard by his own actions, he struggled to find something, anything to say. He settled for bringing Din’s hand up to his mouth, gently pressing his cold lips to his knuckles in a brief kiss, before pulling away, whispering “thank you” and essentially sprinting towards the house.

He stopped in front of the door, hand reaching up to touch his lips in awe. He couldn’t believe what he had just done. A smile came unbidden, pulling the corners of his mouth up, and no matter how hard he tried to tone it down it just kept getting bigger and bigger.

He was staring into space with a big smile on his face like the fool he is, when Grogu’s cooing reminded him where he was.

The kiss made him forget his own nephew was in his arm.

With a sigh he rang the bell and waited for someone to answer the door.

Everything that followed passed in a blur. He barely managed to grab ahold of Din again when he and Peli arrived with the bags, wrapping his arm around the shorter man’s waist and introducing him to the family as his boyfriend.

The reactions varied from the stern impassive face of his father, to his mother’s tight lipped smile, to his younger cousins’ unbridled delight. It was an interesting amalgamation to say the least.

The process of introductions was a somewhat stiff affair, stinted by his parents’ cold demeanor.

It was nothing unexpected, though. He knew they would have some difficulty processing the reality of all their hopes for their only son being shattered into million little pieces by the gentle, loving hands of the young man standing by his side. He figured that even though he had already told them he was with a man a year before, they still held onto the hope that he would miraculously come home with a girl one day.

Sadly, and to Cobb’s eternal gratitude, life didn’t work like that. He couldn’t magically turn heterosexual, not even for his parents. He couldn’t pretend and live a lie, either.

It was one of the things he had promised himself when he realized where his attraction leaned, that he would never try to be someone he wasn’t. He loved himself enough to know that he did not deserve to be miserable just so someone else would be happy.

With a sigh, he took Din by the hand and guided him upstairs after Peli took Grogu and excused herself to go put him in bed, and his father rather rudely made a wordless departure. Cobb gave his mother a small smile and told her they were going to sleep too. It had been a long day after all.

His room was the same as he last left it, it always was. A pocket of time separate from the proceedings of his life, forever suspended in a certain moment of his youth, reminding him of how long it has been since he was that skinny boy in the pictures, and how not many things had changed since then.

Din traced his finger on the glass frame of one of the pictures displayed on the wooden shelf.

“I didn’t know you played rugby.” He heard him say quietly, almost to himself.

“It was a long time ago.” Cobb told him. He wasn’t ever serious about it, it was just something his father wanted him to do, until he realized he wasn’t a genie obligated to make his parents wishes come true, that he was a person same as them.

He sat on the bed, placing the bag he was holding on the floor next to the bed. He stared at his shoes, replaying the evening of the night in his mind, thinking about the countless _what if_ s.

What if his parents were more accepting? What if they were more loving? What if Peli hadn’t dropped Din’s name and forces him to do something about it? What if he had told Din about his feelings before bringing him here? _What if Din hated him for this-_

 _“_ That went well.” Din’s voice broke him out of the spiral he was losing himself in. He sat on the bed next to him and placed his hand on Cobb’s knee.

Cobb snorted in response causing Din to turn to face him fully, legs pulled up to sit cross legged on the mattress.

“No really, I expected worse.” He said, “ more yelling, possibly a punch or two, maybe even a hunting rifle aimed at my head.” He chuckled.

Cobb’s brows stitched in concern and he turned to mirror Din’s position on the bed.

“If that’s what you expected, then why did you agree to come with me here?” He asked him seriously and watched Din’s smile dim, becoming smaller and a little tinged with sadness.

“I don’t know.” He said, looking down at his hands, “I guess… I guess I couldn’t say no to you.” He looked up at Cobb briefly before looking back down, “I don’t think I ever _could,_ not really.” He paused for a few moments, not realizing Cobb’s wide eyed stare at him, then said “I don’t think I ever will” almost as an afterthought.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, _hoursdaysweeks,_ Cobb staring at Din, and Din staring at his own hands.

Eventually the spell was broken by Din himself announcing it was time for bed. Slowly, like his limbs were thawing after a lifetime of being frozen, Cobb got up and started preparing the bed while Din went to the bathroom.

Din’s words rang through his mind as he did the motions. He wondered if there was something else behind them, some other hidden meaning that he had failed to grasp. He shook his head to dispel the thoughts and berated himself for getting carried away. Din was just being a good friend. There was no need to make up delusions and hurt himself further.

“I don’t suppose your bed could magically turn into a king size?” Din asked from the door.

“We’ll have to make do, unfortunately.” He replied, hoping the heat felt in his face wasn’t showing.

They settled somewhat snuggly in the fortunately extra large twin sized bed.

There were a few awkward moments where they didn’t know what to do with their arms to prevent them from touching, but they gave up in the end since there was no escaping it, unless one of them wanted to end up on the floor.

For the second morning in a row, Cobb woke up with a face full of soft dark hair and the scent of lavender and sandalwood filling his nostrils.

He took a moment to appreciate the position he was in; Din’s back pressed against his chest, his soft hair tickling Cobb’s nose, his arms settled over Cobb’s bigger ones that were wrapped around his middle.

Cobb inhaled deeply and pressed his forehead to Din’s hair.

He wished he could wake up like this for the rest of his life. He wished he could kiss the exposed skin of Din’s neck. He wished he could wake him up with sweet whispers and loving caresses.

He wished.

He settled for planting a kiss on Din’s sleep mussed hair and carefully removed himself, instantly missing the warmth of Din’s body.

He yearned to be with him with a deep ache in his heart.

Cobb figured he should be grateful for the opportunity to even have him in his arms in the first place, no matter the circumstances.

He waited a few more minutes then woke Din up so they could go downstairs. He could already hear the bustle of the house occupants downstairs.

They came down to find even _more_ cousins had arrived, a few aunts, and some uncles he hadn’t seen in a while. They made the rotation, greeting and introducing Din to everyone.

At one point Din whispered to him “you have so many relatives” and Cobb couldn’t help but chuckle and reply “babe, you haven’t seen the worst of it yet.”

At one point Cobb wondered if Christmas was going to be early this year because all these people getting together so soon was strange.

He quickly forgot about it when he saw his grandmother and dragged Din to meet her. His Nan was his favorite person in the family and she greeted Din with the warmth she usually reserved for her grandchildren. She pulled him into a hug and warmth bloomed in Cobb’s chest at Din’s touched expression and he kept holding onto Nan’s hand the entire time they were talking.

He looked so young in that moment, so innocent. The child within him peaking out for a few moments.

It reminded Cobb of his promise to make this Christmas memorable for him, and he thought this was a good start.

Din came back to his side when Cobb’s mother called for everyone to gather around for an announcement. There was an excited buzz around them as people chattered about what it could be.

His mom shushed them and proceeded with her announcement.

She and his father were going to renew their vows in a few days and everyone was invited to the ceremony.

The room erupted with claps and cheers from the gathered crowd, and whistles from Peli and some of their younger cousins.

Din looked at him very seriously and said “your mom really wants to steal Jesus’ thunder, huh?”

A startled laugh escaped Cobb and he his face in the crook of Din’s neck, shoulders shaking. He took a deep breath and pulled back up, face flushed from the sudden laughter, and looked at Din, who was giving him a soft smile.

“Oh man, you’ll fit right in here.” He told him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, steering him in the direction of his parents to offer congratulations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is going to be longer than i originally planned so i’m making it 5 chapters not 4!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the feedback!  
> enjoy this extra long chapter❤️  
> just one more to go!

The preparations for the ceremony left the house in a constant buzz. Every capable hand was constantly running errands somewhere or the other.

Except for Cobb and Din, who were cornered by the aunt conglomerate, pressed side by side on the couch surrounded by at least 7 middle aged white women. A nightmare for Din, Cobb was sure.

Feeling the nervousness radiating off him, Cobb threaded their fingers together and placed their joined hands in his lap.

That was one thing they were doing a lot of lately, holding hands. He got over the initial panic of casual touches surprisingly quickly. Now, he was the one initiating them.

He discovered Din was great at making salads but terrible at everything else kitchen related, much to his mother’s amusement. He didn’t have time to sit and talk with his mom one to one about this whole situation but he had a feeling she was warming up to Din. Especially after seeing how Grogu runs to him every time he sees him, and how genuine joy could be seen written all over Din’s face when he’s with the boy.

She would ask Din all sorts of questions, about what food he liked, what kind of movies he watched, what was his go to Christmas song and Din’s features would soften every time she asked.

He would answer he had a preference for warm food, like soups and stews. That he loved comedies and adventure movies, and he hated movies that ended in tragedies, saying that life was tragic enough. And he would say that he loved Let It Snow by Frank Sinatra.

Cobb wondered if Din ever had a mother figure asking him about the things he loved.

He noticed that most of his family was clamoring to show Din affection.

His Nan kept patting Din on the cheek every time she crossed paths with him, his cousins would ask him to tell them stories from his job after they found out he worked as a private investigator, one of his uncles challenged Din to an arms wrestle match which Din lost but not after making the uncle sweat for it.

Cobb had a feeling Din lost that one on purpose but when asked about it, Din told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.

Sometimes the attention would be too much for Din, he would get overwhelmed by all the questions, all the pestering, all the _love_.

He would give Cobb’s hand a squeeze, or a look across the counter, or even a cough, and Cobb would excuse himself and drag Din along with him.

One of those instances, he took Din to sit on a bench in the backyard after a grueling couple of hours being doted on by his oldest aunt, who had a knack for overfeeding young people she believed were too skinny. Not that Din was skinny by any account, though.

They sat under the cover of the night sky, looking at the expanse of the stars. Cobb was reminded of when Din showed him the constellations painted in his room.

“Can you tell about them again?” He asked in a hushed tone.

“About what?” Din turned to look at him, eyes bright even in the darkness of the night.

“The constellations.”

He listened to him explain the stars again, what shapes the constellations took, and the legends and stories behind the ones visible in the sky at that moment. Cobb listened with bated breath, hanging onto every word falling from Din’s mouth, eyes fixed on the younger man’s face instead of the sky. The mesmerizing manner in which he was talking about nebulas, the way his hair was rustled by the chilly night breeze, the way he reached for Cobb’s hand and held onto it while pointing with the other.

There were thousands and thousands of bright stars in the sky, but Cobb thought then that the brightest of them all was the one sitting next to him.

Noticing a slight tremor in Din’s shoulders from the cold air, he exchanged the hand Din was holding for the other in order to wrap his now free arm around his smaller form and pulled him close. Din quieted down soon after, resting his head on Cobb’s chest.

They were not observed by anyone at that moment, so the closeness baffled Cobb.

He wasn’t complaining, though.

The next morning they went to pick up the suits that his mom had ordered, Peli helping with the matter of Din’s measurements as a surprise. For some odd reason, Din brought Grogu along.

The boy was sipping on a capri sun happily, sitting in Din’s lap in the passenger seat, unbothered by whatever happened around him.

At that moment it was Din complaining about Cobb’s choice of music.

“Here take my phone and look through the playlist for something you like instead of nagging me about it.”

He handed him the phone and waited for him to choose one. Several minutes passed in silence which caused Cobb to look over and find Din staring at the phone.

“Din?” The man in question looked back at him, a strange expression etched upon his face.

“ ‘Brown Eyes’,” he read aloud, and Cobb felt his stomach drop, “‘songs for when I’m missing him’” he paused for a few moments, “this playlist…”

Cobb floundered for something convincing to say, anything that wasn’t the truth.

He couldn’t tell him that he often spent hours on end listening to the songs in that playlist when Din was too caught up with work to visit for weeks at a time. He couldn’t say that sometimes he fell asleep with it playing in his ears and in those nights he would dream of brown eyes and brown skin. He couldn’t let Din know how much he missed him in the moments they were apart.

“It’s Boba’s!” He said, a little too quickly, “it’s Boba’s playlist.”

He was too focused on the road to see Din’s expression, only hearing a little whispered “oh, it’s Boba’s”

He ended up not changing the song, and spent the remainder of the short trip oddly quiet.

The shop assistant ushered them into the dressing room area so they could try their suits.

Din went in first, leaving Cobb sitting on one of the leather benches in front of the dressing booth to keep an eye on Grogu.

“How does it look?” Din’s voice pulled Cobb’s attention from the child, and his breath stuttered at the sight. Din stood decked in a velvet midnight black suit and a light cream colored shirt that complemented his mocha skin tone.

A few dozen compliments flitted by Cobb’s mind. He wanted to tell him he looked heavenly, like a divinity descended from above.

“Oh, fuck.” He ended up saying, quite eloquently.

“Fuck!” Echoed Grogu excitedly, much to Cobb’s embarrassment. Peli was going to skin him alive for adding that particular word to the boy’s budding vocabulary.

“It’s a bit of a tight fit on the waist, but I think it looks okay?” Said Din uncertainly, “Is it that bad?”

“Oh no no no!” Cobb rushed to say, praying that he doesn’t stick his foot in his mouth this time, “you look amazing!” At Din’s skeptic eyebrow raise he quickly added “I’m serious it looks so good on you!”

“If you say so…” he waddled back into the booth and drew the curtains.

Cobb sagged in his seat and turned to Grogu, “I’m an idiot, aren’t I?”

Grogu nodded in agreement and Cobb huffed a laugh, “thanks, pal.”

In the morning of the ceremony, just an hour before it was scheduled to start, Cobb was in his room facing his reflection in the mirror and adjusting his bowtie when Peli barged in with a worried look on her face, her curls flying around her face.

“You need to come with me right now!” She told him, giving him no time to respond and taking him by the arm. He spluttered his inquiries to no avail, she kept dragging him along until they were in their childhood playroom, that was turned into some sort of storage room. He and Peli spent countless hours roleplaying as knights campaigning to save the helpless princess, which was a stuffed bunny in a pink dress, from the mighty dragon.

“What are we doing here?” She quickly shushed him and let go of his hand to quietly drag a small cabinet tucked in one of the corners of the room, revealing a small hole in the wall that they used to eavesdrop on their father in his study when they were younger. The hole was obscured from view by a picture frame on the other side, which meant they couldn’t see what was going on, but they could hear everything that was said.

Most of what they heard through it was their parents’ countless fights.

That wasn’t the case for today, though.

“Dad is interrogating Din.” She whispered furiously. He felt ire rise but he pushed it down to get closer to the whole and listen in.

His father was asking Din general questions, some of the ones that they had already discussed before coming here. He listened as Din told the man about being an orphan, growing up constantly on the move between foster homes, never settling in one place for too long. How worked the odd jobs here and there to be able to finish school. How he met Peli and how they quickly bonded over their love of machines. How he realized mechanics wasn’t for him. How he met Cara Dune in forensics and how they went on to work for the same agency as a team.

The more Din talked, the more Cobb felt proud. This was a man who went through hell and came out on the other side with the kindness of saints.

“And how long have you… loved my son?” He heard his father say. That was an easy question, they had already agreed on the answer. That it was Cobb who fell in love first two years ago and asked Din out and from then on their relationship developed.

“To be honest with you, I’ve been in love with him for the better part of a decade, sir.”

Cobb’s brows stitched in confusion. That wasn’t what they agreed on. What was Din talking about?

“A decade?” His father’s tone was incredulous. He could imagine the look on the man’s face, bushy eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open. It was a rare look for he wasn’t an easily surprised man. Din’s answer came as a surprise to all of them, it seemed.

“I’ve known him for almost as long as I’ve known Peli.” He heard Din say, “And I’ve been in love with him from the moment he stumbled into Boba’s arms, drunkenly singing Careless Whisper at the top of his lungs at one in the morning.” He chuckled, “It was my first New Year’s Eve party with Peli and her friends.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “I never imagined I’d fall for a crazy silver haired cowboy wannabe, but here we are.”

The silence that followed was only echoed by the silence in Cobb’s mind. He didn’t know what to think of what he had just heard. He had no idea Din had answers planned so thoroughly. And he whispered as much to Peli, who in turn smacked her forehead so hard he was sure the occupants of the other had heard it.

“What was that?” He heard Din ask but their father quickly assured him it was nothing and that they should get going before the ceremony.

Peli and Cobb made a run for it and hurried to the garden to avoid being caught.

“You almost got us caught!” He smacked her on the arm.

“Your stupidity is what almost got us caught!” She smacked him back harder. “Just how dumb _are_ you?!”

He didn’t know what she was even talking about, he didn’t do anything!

“I see you two haven’t changed one bit since you were kids.” Came their father’s voice from behind and they swiveled to face him in twin panic.

“Dad-“ Cobb was cut short by his father raising a hand to quiet him.

“All I want to say is,” he took a few steps forward and placed both hands on Cobb’s shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes ,“you have a good man there, son. Don’t lose him.”

“I don’t intend to.” He managed to say, his entire being frozen on the spot. His father was never this direct with him.

“Good.” He said and turned to leave before stopping and turning back towards them, “I’m proud of you.” He said, “both of you.” He looked at Peli then back at Cobb before turning back and leaving.

“Holy shit.” Whispered Peli next to him, looking equally as dumbfounded as he felt at the moment.

They were still in the same position when Din found them ten minutes later, with Grogu in tow. Grogu was wearing a suit too which just made Cobb’s heart melt. The small basket he was carrying was just the cherry on top.

They were soon called to sit in the front seats in the lawn where the ceremony was held. Everyone rushed to take their places and he saw their father stand in front of the silver and white balloon arch with the priest.

His mother was accompanied down the metaphorical aisle by her brother, looking as lovely as a spring breeze.

When the vows started, he found his focus shifting to the person sitting next to him. As he heard the love affirmations uttered by his parents, he wondered what it would be like if it was him and Din up there, vowing to love each other for as long as they lived.

He watched as Din’s watery eyes sparkled, his smile so wide watching the proceedings, and wondered if he would be as emotional hearing how much Cobb felt for him.

A collective ‘aww’ from the crowd shifted his attention to the little figure currently making his way to his grandparents. Grogu’s toothy grin was bright as the sun in july as he presented his grandfather with the little basket he was holding, that contained the rings, and looked around spotting them, and ran straight into Din’s open arms.

The slow music filled the open space as the chairs were cleared to create a makeshift dance floor.

After his parents’ first dance was over, the music turned into something more lively and Cobb was dragged by his mother to dance with her, while Din danced with Grogu twirling him around and laughing along with the boy’s breathless giggles.

Grogu and Din stole the light as the most endearing pair at the dance.

He eventually found their way back to each other again as the music slowed down.

“May I have this dance, m’lord?” Cobb bowed to Din, who laughed and shook his head at his antics, taking his offered hand and leading him to the dance floor.

They swayed slowly together, chest to chest and cheek to cheek, the world fading from around them. All Cobb could feel was the pure euphoria of having the man of his dreams in his arms, dancing to the beat of a love song, surrounded by people who loved and accepted him.

It was an overwhelming emotion, but as Din pressed his temple to Cobb’s he found that he wouldn’t want it any other way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is, the final chapter!   
> this has been a wild ride and i’m grateful for y’all for accompanying me through it.  
> this au holds a special place in my heart and i’m sad to let it go but happy to conclude their story in love and joy.  
> happy holidays and merry christmas to all of you and remember that especially this year some people need a little extra love and care so please show your loved ones how precious they are!  
> enjoy!

“Alright folks!” Said Peli, clapping to get everyone’s attention, “if you would so kind as to head to the living room for the annual Vanth family talent show.”

A cheer rose from the gathered family members at Peli’s announcement, and Cobb saw Din’s brows stitch in confusion, mouthing ‘talent show?’ to himself.

It was an old tradition of theirs, from when their father was a child. The family would gather around after Christmas dinner and anyone who wanted to participate would make a display of a talent of theirs. Whether it be singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or even magic tricks.

It was a time to unwind and let the holiday cheer wash over them, and it made for wonderful evening entertainment.

Cobb’s favorite part was Peli’s card tricks. The rascal had cultivated an impressive skill and dazzled the family with it every year without fail.

They sat snuggling into the cosy couch and watched the various family members excitedly and proudly show off their skills, Cobb occasionally whispering in Din’s ear explaining something or the other; funny stories about times when the talent show went wrong, or when a family member went overboard with an extravagant show.

It put a smile on his face how attentive Din was, making sure to listen to what Cobb was telling him but also giving sufficient attention to whoever was on at the time, so no one feels neglected.

“C’mon Cobb,” called his mother, “go get your old guitar! It’s been ages since you last played us a song!”

There was a loud agreement from the gathered crowd, drowning out his attempts at refusal.

He felt a tug on his hand and looked over at Din, who merely cocked his head to the side, urging him to go on.

Their eyes held contact for a few moments, before Cobb fondly rolled his eyes and got up, arms up in surrender.

“You’re so whipped.” Complained a cousin, “we were all asking you to do it but as soon as he gives you a look, you cave so quickly!”

“His wishes are my commands.” Cobb replied, eyes closed and hand on his heart in a show of loyalty. “And y’all are just jealous!” He added as he made his way to the storage room to pick him his old guitar, hearing a wave of mock protests interspersed with laughter behind him.

Sitting on a stool in the middle of the room, he adjusted his grip on the instrument and gave it a few experimental strums, tuning it as he went.

A few songs came to mind, he debated whether he should play a crowd pleaser or an old favorite.

Catching Din looking at him in anticipation settled the choice for him, a song instantly springing to the forefront of his mind.

He started strumming the opening tunes and saw Din’s eyes sparkle with recognition.

_With shortness of breath_

_He explained the infinite_

A series of images came unbidden to mind, of the night sky and Din’s wonderstruck expression as he pointed up, of his ruffled hair, of his crimson cheeks in the cold breeze, of the way his eyes held the light of a thousand stars.

_How rare and beautiful it is_

_That we exist_

He thought of the way Din was his anchor, always there to ground him when he felt his world turn upside down, always with a small smile and a kind hand. Din who was there for Peli when a man left her pregnant and her spirit broken, holding her hand and reminding her that she had life inside of her and friends around her. Din who was the silent support for all of them.

_I couldn’t help but ask_

_For him to say it all again_

_I tried to write it down_

_But I could never find a pen_

He thought of Din’s smaller body fitting so well against his own, of Din’s hands that seemed like they were made to be intertwined with his, of Din’s laugh and his tears, of the way he treated Grogu like his own, of the way he looked at Cobb like he existed, like he _mattered._

_I’d give anything to hear_

_Him say it one more time_

_That the universe was made_

_To be seen by our eyes_

He thought of the way Din was looking at him at that moment, eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar, the light from the Christmas tree decorations cast a warm glow on his face, framing it in a halo, and the way he wanted nothing but to kiss him.

For the first time in two years, he let himself feel the full extent of the emotions bottled up inside him for the man sitting in front of him.

He finally allowed himself to put a name for it.

_Love._

It was love.

He loved Din Djarin with every inch of his body and soul.

Looking at him now, he wondered how he could’ve been so stupid as to deny himself giving it a chance.

Looking at him now, he decided he wouldn’t waste more time that he already has.

Looking at him now, he made up his mind to confess before the night was over.

As he strummed the last notes, cheers and whistles broke him out of his reverie.

Din’s dumbfounded expression was traded for a soft smile that seemed to hold more weight than it showed.

He went back to his seat, resting his head on Din’s shoulder to avoid looking at him. He feared his eyes would tell the man everything there was to know, and he didn’t want that to happen with so many people around them.

“That was beautiful.” Din whispered against his hair.

Cobb couldn’t trust himself to say anything other than a small “thank you” in return.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur.

His nerves were choking him by the time everyone called it a night and started trickling out of the living room.

“Wait.” He said, making Din pause at the steps on the staircase. “I have something to show you.” He said vaguely and took Din’s hand in his, guiding him to the bench in the backyard, Din following him without complaint. He didn’t know what to make of it so he focused on settling his nerves enough to face the man and come clean.

He reached under the bench and retrieved an item he had stashed there earlier, Din’s Christmas present.

“What’s this?” Asked Din, perplexed.

“Open it.” Replied Cobb, legs slightly bouncing in anxiety.

Din’s fingers carefully unwrapped the object, making sure not to rip the wrapping paper, and unveiled the frame inside.

A small gasp escaped his mouth and he looked at Cobb with a dazed smile, “A sky chart!” He whispered in awe, “of what?”

“Of the night we first met.” Cobb answered.

He watched the smile falter from Din’s mouth and his expression tighten.

“This is not fair.” He breathed, putting the frame in his lap and looking away from Cobb.

Panic shot through Cobb, turning his stomach into knots. He didn’t like the gift?

_How am I going to tell him I love him if this was his reaction to our first connection?_

“What’s not fair?” He asked hesitantly, fearing what would come out of Din’s mouth.

“ _This.”_ Din pointed at the chart, then turned to face Cobb again. “ _You.”_

The word was said with such bitterness it took him by surprise.

“I don’t understand..” Cobb trailed off. He didn’t understand what was wrong, did he do something? Did he insult Din somehow? His heart was hammering in his chest.

“Why would you do this to me when you already have someone in your life?” Asked Din achingly quiet.

Now _that_ threw him completely off. He was sure there was a misunderstanding somewhere along the way because _what the fuck?!_

“Wait what?” He held his hands up, “what someone in my life?!”

“Boba Fett.” Said Din with such certainty that Cobb was left stunned speechless.

“Boba Fe-“ he pressed his lips tight, a laugh threatening to escape. “Boba F-“ he tried again but burst into hysterical laughter. The thought, the mere _suggestion,_ that he would ever in his life decide to be in a relationship with _Boba fucking Fett of all people_ put him in hysterics.

Din’s confused and mildly affronted expression at the sudden shift in Cobb’s mood had him double over in laughter, wheezing and tearful at the hilarity of the situation.

Cobb Vanth and Boba Fett? _Together?_ They’d kill each other in a week.

“Oh man, Fennec’s gonna love this.” He wheezed, the laughter finally subsiding.

At Din’s annoyed face he reached over and took Din’s hands in his. “Sweetheart, I’d rather have my junk chopped off than date Boba Fett’s bald ass.” He assured him. “What even made you think I was with that naked mole-rat?”

“The playlist…” he trailed off uncertainly, “you said it was Boba’s..”

Cobb wanted to smack himself, of course that would come back to bite him in the ass.

“I meant it was _made_ by Boba not that it was _for_ Boba.”

“Oh.”

“It was a lie anyway. It was for you.”

“ _Oh.”_

They were quiet for a few moments, the only sounds coming from the night animals in the trees that surrounded the backyard.

Din reached into his back pocket to pull a small object and present it to Cobb. Opening it, Cobb found himself looking at a circular silver pendant with inscriptions on both faces. The front said ‘I was a billion little pieces’ and the back said ‘Til you pulled me into focus’. Cobb traced a finger on the words, chest tight with elation. He unclasped the chain and put it around his neck, the pendant settling over his heart.

“I love you.” Blurted Din suddenly, looking at Cobb with such vulnerability that broke him.

His heartbeat thrummed erratically in his chest where the pendant was now hanging. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure it wasn’t a dream, but then again any dream that included the insinuation that he and Boba were a couple would be a nightmare, and that didn’t quite fit.

Cobb leaned forward until their foreheads were resting against each other, eyes closed, breathing in. “You sure you wanna love a silver haired cowboy wannabe like me?” He whispered and heard Din’s startled chuckle.

“You heard that?” Din whispered back.

Cobb pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes and tell him that he and Peli were pressed to the peephole in the wall listening in. Din broke into breathless laughter, and Cobb released his hands to cup his face as he made such a delightful sound and kiss him on the cheek, the jaw, the temple, the forehead, the nose.

Din’s breath hitched and his laughter cut short, their eyes meeting for a moment before they closed remaining distance between them.

If asked, they couldn’t tell who initiated the kiss, just that one of them pressed his lips to the other and the rest was history.

Cobb wrapped his arm around Din’s waist to press him closer, and ended up prompting Din to climb into his lap and straddle him on the bench.

They broke apart a while later, breathless and panting, but never been happier.

They went bed for the first time wrapped around each other and woke up the same way.

They spent Christmas morning in each other’s arms while everyone else was busy unwrapping presents.

Cobb took out his phone and opened the group chat.

**Me:** merry christmas y’all!

**Me:** here’s a little present from me and mine

**Me:** [sent an attachment]

**Sharpshooter:** IS THAT DIN

**Boba Tea:** ARE YALL KISSING??.

**Sharpshooter:** COBB VANTH WHAT THE FUCK WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN

**Boba Tea:** SO HAPPY FOR YALL BUT THERE WAS NO NEED TO SCAR ME FOR LIFE WITH THE IMAGE OF YALL EATING EACH OTHERS FACES

Din covered his face in embarrassment when Cobb showed him the messages, saying he was never going to be able to face those two again.

Grogu abandoned the presents and waddled along to his uncles, tugging at Din’s jeans until he pulled him up and he sat nestled between them

“This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had.” Sighed Din at one point, and Cobb leaned over to kiss his temple.

That sentence alone made Cobb Vanth the happiest man in the world.


End file.
